Sealing shoe for floating decks



March 19 41935 A. A; KRAMER 1,994,477

SEALING SHOE FOR FLOATING DECKS Filed March 18, 1952 HELM;

A T TORNE Y.

2 Andrew/q /fmmer atenteci Mar.19,1935 l i fr' i i .1 UNITED: STATES lMTlelifl, OFFICE Andrew A. kramen-.Kansas City, Mo., assgnor to George D. Bcardsley, Kansas City, -Mo.

applicati@ March 18,1932. serial No. 599,721 claims; (o1. 22o- 26) My invention-relates to sealing means for floatprovide a sealing means for a floating deck com@ Y ing decks, and Amore particularly to sealingshoes prising shoes swingingly mounted on the oatfor floating decks. ing deck and engaging with the side wall of the In loilstorage tanks oating roofs or decks are tank, said shoes carrying sealing material Vwhich .5' frequently usedY and have many advantages which hold said shoes in engagement with said side wall 5 are well known. In such devices the floatingdeck by the action of gravity,vsaid shoes being curved is made smallerin diameter than the tank, and and having the convex surfaces thereof contactthe intervening-spacebetween the deck and tankA ing with the tank wall and being provided with mustibe sealed against the escape of vapors from exible sealing members overlapping the joints the surface of the oil or other liquidin the tank, between said shoes, said flexible sealing mem- 10 and from the admissionof air into thespace in bers being provided on the convex faces of the which -the liquid is contained. Suchfsealing shoes. l means must be flexible so that the same can ex- Y While it is desirable and necessary Vthat the pand and contract in accordance withthe variasealing material be provided on the convex faces T5 tions in the contour of the tank, and usually com-4 ofthe shoes, itis not absolutely necessary that l5- prises metallic members engaging the 'iside wall such sealing material be provided on the concave of -the'tank so that said metallic members slide' face thereof, but such sometimes is desirablefto up and down on said sidewall as thefloating deck obtain a vperfect seal between the adjacent sealchanges its position dueto the change in level ing shoes. 'Y of the oil. Sealing means of this characterare Other objects and advantages of my invention 20 shown in the patent to Andrew A. Kramer will appear as the description of the drawing pro- #1,'767,142 patented June 24,'1930,1and thepatent ceeds. I desire to have it understood, however; to FrederichiW. Kueffer #1,765,593 patented June that I do'not intend to limit rmyself to the par-` 24, 1930, andthe present invention is an improve-v ticular structure shown and described, except as ment on the sealing means shown in said patents. dened in the claims.

It is aV purpose of my invention to provide new In the drawing: and improved sealing means for a floating deck Fig. 1 is a fragmentary Veltieal Sectional View comprising such sealing members or Vshoes and through a portion of a tank and oating deck and means for sealing the gaps'between the adjoining the sealing means associated therewith,l embody-A shoes to provide a gastight seal for the floating ing my invention. 30

deck, A Fig. 2 is a fragmentary circumferential 4sec- More particularly, itis a purpose of my inventiOIll View thrOugh d Sealing Shoe and portions tion to provide sealing shoes for a floating deck, of theshoes on each side thereof. which have strips ofV gas tight flexible material Fig. Sis a fragmentary face viewof the sealing secured thereto so that said strips of Ymaterial shoes as viewed from theinner face of the'side 35 are xed relative to one of said shoes and are in Wall of the tank substantially 0n the line 3-3-of slidable engagement with the surface of the next Fig- 1. the middle Dertien OfSe'id Sealing Shoes beadjoining shoe. In the preferredarrangement, ing broken eWey. the flexible sealing members are secured to one Fig. l iS an enlarged fragmentary Sectional 40 shoe'at each joint and overlap the adjacent shoe view through the jOiht betWeeIl adjacent Sealing 40 at each joint. Shoes, and

It is a further purpose of my invention to pro- Fig. 5 iS a View, Similar t0 Figl 0f e mOdievide new and improved sealing means for tanks tien. Y A provided with floating decks comprising `metauic` Referring in detail t0 the drawing, my improved shoes or sealing plates, which are provided with Sealing Sll'OeS are ShOWIl illA Fig.V 1 es being plo- 45 offset portions to accommodate the flexible sealingV vided in a tank having 2J Side Wall 10 and on a material, which overlaps the joints between adjafloating deck 11, hal/ing eh inwardly and 11D` cent shoes to substantially align the surface of Wardly inclined peripheral ilehge 12 thereon, and the flexible sealing material overlapping the provided with a depending'rim portion 13, which joints with the body portions of the shoesso as has an outwardly directed flange 14 provided with 50 to provide a better seal between the shoesand slots through which the ears 15 onthe metallic the -tank wall', while atthe same Ytime providing a shoes 16 extend. The shoes 16 are curved to provapor "or gas tight sealfor the `joints between the vide a convex outer face thereon contacting'with metallic shoes. i Y the inner face of said side wall 10 of the tank It is a particular purpose of my invention to and a concave inner face. Said Yshoes are prog 55 vided with rain shedding members 17 secured to the upper ends thereof and carry basket members 18 in which gas tight sealing fabric 19 and loose sealing material 20 is provided, the sealing material 2() being made up of gravel, small crushed Vstone, sand or any similar'Y material as may be found desirable, and due to its Weight, serves to hold the sealing shoes 16 in sliding contact with the side wall 1,0` of the tank, V n

The liquid level in the tank isin'dicateclr at 2 1 in the drawing, and while the sealingmaterial 19 and 20 will substantially prevent the escape` 'Y of gases or vapors from the space between the shoes 16 and the inwardly sloping wall l2-.onthe oating deck 11, such vapors or gases can= escape.

at the joints between the sealingshoes unless..

the same are properly sealed."V l

My improved sealing shoesprevent the escape. of such vapors or gases that would not be. stopped by the sealing material 19 and 20 from'between the sealing shoes. at theinaoioinine-.-sioe eclees,` In einer that snohsealine means. will. fiinotion. ntopeifly it is. neoessaiy'that it be free to. aoooni.- Inoelate.y itself to the.. different positions.` that the, shoes ssnine. and still maintainr theseal between. the a oinine shoes TheA sealing shoes 1.6 tnove intotations. aneolar positions about their pivotal. etes.4 in. the slots inthe ilanee 1.4. as the distanee between the side Wall l0 of the tank. ano theoleels. 11.; varies.- ri'he point of. oontaot between the to such angular position, and the structure of the shoes and of the joint sealing. In eans associat ol. with. the adjoining sealintr shoes is so. oon.- stiiioted. as to aoooniplish this purpose. Without. preventing good sealing contact. between the. shoes and the side Wall. oi the tank.- .ln onder to, aeeoniplish. suoli sealineoi the joints between adjacent shoes without interfering with their sealing aotion in cooperation with. the` siole Wall of; ythe tank, the side edges of; theshoes. lo. are oitsetfinwaidly toward vthe connai/.e face thereot ot toward the floating. deck, the. inwardly oiiset. portion at one side .edge of each shoe. being. indicated by the numeral 22, and that.. at the other.

side edge of the shoe being indicated by the n umerel. 23-

In the form of the. invention. .shown Fiss.. 1,. 2., it andi/t. saielishoes. are further provided with wardly directed ilanges 24, which will prevent one shoe 1.6.. from. overriding. theedee ofthe adjoinineshoe l16. Secured to; the offset portion 2.3v of each shoe 16. by any. suitablesecuring means, s iiohas the rivets 25, are the strips26.. oi flexible sealing material.. .The sealing members 2.6V over-.- laptheoffset portion 22 of. the next adjacent seal: ina shoe 11.6, and are preferably made. oi.- a. fabric.. or fibrous material that is impregnated; with a` suitable.- substance tor forni asas tight. and oil proof exible fabric. Due to. the fact. that the flexible gas tight and oil proof sealing members 26, are.. carried in. the shallowsrooyes@ formed by the offset portions 22 and 23 of the membersA 16 and lie between seid members. and.y the side. wall 1Q of the tank, these will be heldx in. sealingA con.-

taet with the onsetportions 22 of the shoes, as welles the onset portions 23 thereof; and will' be fnee to. slide over the portions 22... The eXible sealing members atentado up of. a fabric material that has sonnent stiffness that the stoney will;KL

to the offset portions 23 of the'sealing shoes 1G that carry the same.

While the arrangement described above pro- I vides a tight seal in most cases, it may be desirable in order to. obtain an absolutely perfect seal' that the arrangement shown in Fig. 5 be provided in which the shoes 16 are made in the. same manner as the shoes 16, except that the offset portions. 2.2 anti. 23,' thereon are. notpi'ovided with any nanges, such as shown in Fig. f4,4 and have not only the ilexible members 26.secui'ed to the @anges 23 by the securing members 25, butfalso similar flexible members 26', which overlie theconcavefacesofztheoifset portions 23 and 2 2' v' of the shoes 1.6' in the same mannerthat the vflexible members 2Q. overlie the convex faces of;

said offset portion, thus providing a double seal at each of the jointsA at the side edges of the seal-t What I claim is:-r v Y 1.-. Theooinbination with1 a floating deels, e' tana. of. shoesmoiinteo. on said deels eno ing the side Wall of said tank, said ble gasket members seoniteti. to/onli' .one tit-:seid shoes at. each of.- saitl. jointsv and` ontsnapping. the. other shoe atsaid joint allebei-.ns ineen: thereon. said. gasket. Ineinblees. engaging; theeees o f.- said;v 'shoes .toward said. side to t the. joint. between said shoes; and said,- sjde vrai-.1 also.. 2t The. combination. with. a. floating deck, and .a

tank, oi-f shoes. mounted. op said; deck. and .engage shoeslyinef h1 the side walli ofA said.-tankJ said. shoes sible.. by,I side. adjacent each. other in slightlfse spaced relation and. means for-sealing; the joint. between the side ede-.es of adiacents-hoescompnisins Sexi-- ble. gasket members. secured tol only one' oisald shoes at each .of said joints. and; overltippingv the other shoe at said joint and beinefreelpslidable thereon. said gasket. members-ehsaslnsxthe. one posite. faces. of said shoesA and one-.thereot' lying between. shoes. and the. side vsfallL of: seid a. The. combination wana nesting, deci.: fana 't tanja, of shoes .mounted on said doch and. ,ene-eef. f

ing. the. side wall of. said. tank; said shoes.

side by side adjacenteach other slishtlytspaced relation, and each. having. both marginal; portions thereof adjacent the side edges thereof olset,

wardly tot/artt said deck and` flexibleiebrio .seal-.

ine means. engaging. the odset. portions.- o.f saidshoes. tace. to. faceon thofacestheneoi; towaitl'y said oirset poire.4

ed side by. sideon said zdeck. infslightlstspaced relation. and having the. convex` facesthereof venj.

easing said; tankv side wall', and means. for Y the joints between. adjacent. shoes, compuzisinaYY members. of exiblegas tightsheetmaterial; were lapping said joints on'the contrex. faces. ofsaid shoes, said shoes beinaofset. on bpthadjacent edges thereof` to provide shallots@ recessesslp the convex facesthereof to. accommodate-said. sealing f members; said sealing; membersensasinezseid side Wal-1'` to provide seal; betvree Seid. sitio.y .Wallat Saidneoesses.- s

Y aidashpesaanoterial being substantially flush with.L theitagi engl eeeineiaoes.- ofsaiol shoes. .Y

5. 'The combination with a oating deck and a. Y at each of said joints and overlapping thev other tank, of shoes mounted on said deck and engagshoe at said joint and being freely slidable there-- ing the side Wall of said tank, said shoes lying on, said exible members engaging the lfaces of side by side adjacent each other in slightly spaced said shoes directed toward said tank side wall and 5 relation and means .for sealing the joint between said shoes having means thereon to limit the 5,

the side edges of adjacent shoes,` comprising fiexmovement thereof toward each other. ible gasket members secured to one of said shoes ANDREW A. KRAMER. 

